A postage meter typically includes a printer to imprint postal information on a mail piece. Postage meters of this type are described in a U.S. patent issued to Alton B. Eckert, Jr., Howel A. Jones, Jr. and Frank T. Check, Jr., entitled "A Remote Postage Meter Charging System Using an Advanced Micro-Computerized Postage Meter" issued on June 27, 1978, U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,923. Another example of a meter that utilizes a printer is described in a U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,148 issued to John H. Soderberg and Alton B. Eckert, Jr. and Rober B. McFiggans entitled "Electronic Postage Meter Having Plural Computing Systems" issued on Dec. 20, 1983.
Postal meters of the above-described form may be provided with several modifications. For example, in one modification, a remote charging feature is available whereby the key is provided for operation of the three position charging switch on the keyboard. The operator of the unit may thus be provided with suitable combinations for entry into the keyboard to enable remote charging. In a further modification the three position charging switch on the keyboard may be controlled by a simple knob without the necessity of the key. In this type of system, the meter may be manually recharged at the post office, but the service function may be effected locally in a manner similar to that of the remote charging system type units.
The postage meters described above all contain printers that are an integral part of the meter itself. Although these meters as described above serve their intended purpose in an exemplary fashion it is always important to develop new and improved postage metering devices to decrease cost and improve efficiency.
As is well known, in a typical system the postage meter will contain the printing apparatus to facilitate applying postage to a mail piece or the like. The printing apparatus located within the postage meter adds to the cost and the complexity of the meter.
Typically, in an electronic postal mailing system it is important that the postal funds within the meter are secure. What is meant by the funds being secure is that when the printer prints postage indicia on a mail piece, the accounting register within the postage meter always should reflect that the printing has occurred. In typical postal mailing systems, since the meter and the printer are integral units, both are interlocked in such a manner as to ensure that the printing of a postage indicia cannot occur without accounting. Postal authorities generally require the accounting information to be stored within the postage meter and to be held there in a secure manner, thus any improved postal mailing system should include security features to prevent unauthorized and unaccounted for changes in the amounts of postal funds held in the meter. Postal authorities also require that meters be put in service and removed from service in strict compliance with their requirements for registration and periodic (for example, every 6 months, inspection. This enables the Post Office to keep records on the usage of a meter and detect fraud. Thus, there are also administrative costs associated with the record keeping, inspection and servicing of meters.
There is a continuing need for less expensive and more efficient postage meters. As before-mentioned, typically a postage meter has associated with it different peripherals that add to the cost thereof. It is important to develop postage meters that can be adaptable to postal mailing systems which are cheaper and more efficient, but will also be able to maintain the high level of security associated with the above-mentioned postage meters. It is also important that any new postal mailing system developed be one in which security can be maintained in a manner in keeping with the previously mentioned mailing systems. Thus, what is described is a secure postal mailing system with an improved postage meter that can be adaptable to different types of peripheral equipment.